Stories of Hawaiʻi’s Soul in Action

Through the work of Rediscovering Hawai‘i’s Soul, educators are deepening connections and collectively shifting toward the seamless integration of Native Hawaiian ‘ike (knowledge), practices, and language into the lives of future generations.

“I make the work of Hawai‘i’s Soul a priority because it speaks directly to Punahou’s mission to pursue our kuleana to Hawai‘i and the world. With friends and colleagues from across the RHS network, we have prioritized the growth of a generation of students who understand Hawai‘i’s culture and values and are committed to addressing our community’s most pressing challenges. As part of Punahou’s wider approach to academic excellence, we have now embedded ‘olelo Hawai‘i in our curriculum for all children from kindergarten through 6th grade, created a new graduation requirement in Hawaiian history, and are moving to make sustainability a focus of our school’s curriculum and operations. I learned so much from this group, and I am excited to see what we can achieve together.”

— Michael Latham, President, Punahou School

“Connecting with other educators through Hawai‘i’s Soul has taught me to stay open to a potential future where ‘āina stewardship is a priority for all and tomorrow's leaders are invested in a collective approach to ensuring community well-being.”

— Kau‘i Sang, Director, Office of Hawaiian Education, Hawaiʻi State Department of Education

HEC leaders came together to form the Kingdom Lands (or Ceded Lands) hui in recognition of the importance of this complex issue and what it means to the well-being of our ‘āina and communities.

 “What gives me hope now is that people are recognizing the importance of our kuleana for the ‘āina and are willing to consider deliberate and momentous steps—both in policy and practice—to care for our islands.”

— Jon Osorio, Dean, Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, University of Hawaiʻi

“Although Kingdom Lands is not my area of expertise, I committed to getting engaged because the issue is so fundamental to restoring trust between community members and finding a way to unite in addressing today’s problems.”

— Bob Harrison, Chairman, President & CEO, First Hawaiian Bank

Through the work of Hawai‘i’s Soul, HEC convened top military leaders from all branches with community and business leaders to help build bridges, trust, and a shared understanding of each other’s perspectives - the sacredness of our ‘āina, what it means to live with island consciousness, and the need and value of the safety and protections of our islands. Action teams were formed including the Military and Community hui.

“Seeing top military leaders understand the culture and history of Hawai‘i has helped them appreciate the inherent connection between the land and its people and realize that they, too, are an integral part of a resilient community.”

— Frenchy Faurot, Brig. Gen. Christopher K. Faurot, Mobilization, Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command

“Connecting with cultural leaders through Hawai‘i’s Soul has deepened my perspective on ‘āina and the need for self-sustainability. As long-standing partners in Hawai‘i, military leaders must take on this approach to ensure that both people and ‘āina are equally protected now, and into the future.”

— Doug Wadsworth, Chief of Staff, Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i

“Although there's still a lot of work to be done, the work of Hawai‘i’s Soul created a platform for meaningful discussions which helped bring awareness to military leadership of the importance of engaging the Native Hawaiian community.”

— Mehana Hind, Senior Advisor to the CEO, Council, for Native Hawaiian Advancement